Maybe you’re looking to build a home from scratch? Perhaps you’re making some changes to your existing home? In any case, you’re scoping out a new siding material.
Might we suggest some consideration for metal siding? Metal siding offers a variety of benefits and thrives on both aesthetic and functional fronts.
Curious as to the benefits of metal siding? Then read on. We’re going to discuss them in detail below.
Is Extremely Durable
If it’s durability you want in your siding material, look no further than metal siding. Conservatively speaking, metal siding thrives for around 40 years. At its absolute most, metal siding can thrive for around 60 years.
For comparison’s sake, wood lasts around 30 years and vinyl lasts around 25 years. Fiber cement, on the other hand, is right up there with metal: it lasts around 50 years.
Is Impervious to Insects
A problem you might encounter with wood siding is insect infestation. There are insects that will literally eat wood. As such, they have the capability to gnaw through wood siding in the span of just a few months.
Metal siding doesn’t attract bugs. And even if it did, it would be too strong for them to gnaw through. In other words, metal siding is completely impervious to insects.
Is Resistant to Physical Trauma
Siding can be met with all kinds of physical trauma, whether it be from golf balls or baseballs or hail or tree branches or otherwise. If the siding isn’t strong enough, this physical trauma can cause it to crack. Wood, vinyl, and fiber cement siding are all fairly vulnerable to this.
Metal siding, on the other hand, is almost entirely resistant to physical trauma. At most, it will incur a small ding. However, a great deal of physical trauma would be needed in order for that to happen.
Is Friendly to the Environment
Metal is almost 100% recyclable. As such, it’s one of the most environmentally friendly siding materials in existence. Once you’re finished with it, bring it to a metal recycling center; you’ll get a few bucks back and you’ll help preserve the world’s metal mines.
The production of metal siding is environmentally friendly as well. Though some carbon is emitted during manufacturing, there are no toxic gases emitted (the same can’t be said of vinyl).
Requires Little Maintenance
One of the primary things you need to consider when choosing a siding material is the amount of maintenance it requires. Maintenance needs affect not only the time commitment that your siding requires but the monetary commitment as well.
Metal siding is a low-maintenance siding material. Designed to thrive in the face of both sunlight and water exposure, it doesn’t need to be stained or sealed. In fact, in most cases, it just needs to be cleaned from time to time.
Yes, it can rust. However, that generally won’t happen for a few decades, after which it will be time for a full-on replacement.
Provides Excellent Summertime Insulation
If you want to spend as little on electricity as possible, metal siding would be a terrific choice. See, metal siding is reflective. As such, when the sun is shining in the summertime, metal siding repels it, preventing its heat from entering the home.
Because of this, the home’s air conditioner doesn’t need to work anywhere near as hard as it would otherwise have to. This results in lower energy usage and a lower energy cost overall.
Offers an Intriguing Aesthetic
Simply put, metal siding is aesthetically intriguing. It has a glossy sheen to its surface that helps draw the human eye. Coming with a variety of style intricacies, it can suit all sorts of preferences.
It’s available in a number of different colors as well, allowing it to match any and all decors. Whether you want a metallic color, or something like black, blue, red, or yellow, you can be accommodated.
And because metal siding isn’t used often, it should help your home to stand out among others.
The Downsides of Metal Siding
Metal siding is, by and large, a terrific siding material. That said, it’s not all positive. It has downsides, and they include the following.
Is Capable of Denting
Though metal siding is a very strong material, it can still incur dents upon serious physical trauma. And, due to the nature of metal siding, these dents will be essentially impossible to move.
So, while your siding may well last 60 years, it could carry some dents with it a good portion of that time. If you’re okay with that, there’s no real problem. If you need flawless siding, however, it might start to bug you after a while.
Is Expensive
The other downside to metal siding is that, well, it can be a little expensive. More truthfully, its price can vary wildly. Whereas the cheapest metal siding materials are quite cheap, the most expensive siding materials are very expensive.
As you might expect, it’s those expensive siding materials that are worth installing. Those are the ones that are durable, insulative, and aesthetically pleasing. The cheap ones are passable but are far overshadowed by materials like wood and vinyl.
That brings us to our final point: if you’re going to buy metal siding, make sure you’re buying a good metal siding. Do your research, study brands, and metal building materials, and ensure that you have a quality product.
Metal Siding Has a Lot to Offer
As you can see, there are a number of benefits to metal siding. Not only is it functionally impressive but aesthetically appealing also. While there are a lot of great siding materials out there, metal siding panels might just be the top option.
Looking for similar info? Our website has you covered. Check out some of our other articles now!